JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israel has expelled Venezuela 's ambassador in response to Venezuela 's expulsion of an Israeli envoy and the rupture of diplomatic relations earlier this month .

A pro-Palestinian mural in the Venezuelan capital , Caracas .

Venezuelan head of mission Roland Betancourt and two other diplomats were given until Friday to leave .

`` Due to the decision of Venezuela to cut relations with us a few weeks ago , we told the Venezuelan charge d'affaires that he and his staff should leave Israel , '' Foreign Ministry official Lior Hayat said . `` We told them they are declared persona non grata in Israel . ''

Venezuela expelled Israeli Ambassador Shlomo Cohen and staff on January 6 and broke off diplomatic relations on January 14 in protest of Israel 's attack on Gaza . Bolivia also broke off relations with Israel that day .

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro defended his country 's actions , saying Israel violated basic human rights with its military action .

`` Our decisions were just , correct , aligned with and adjusted with the spirit of our constitution , which mandates that we seek international peace , '' Maduro said in a statement on the foreign ministry 's Web site .

Maduro said Venezuela 's actions are compatible with its support for the creation of a Palestinian state .

He has not spoken , he said , with any Israeli officials over this week 's expulsion of the Venezuelan diplomats .

`` The response of the state of Israel is weak , late , and in any case for us it 's an honor , '' Maduro told the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera . `` We 're proud that the state of Israel that exists today , led by these criminals , made this decision . ''

Israel and Venezuela have had diplomatic tensions before . Israel recalled its ambassador to Venezuela in August 2006 `` in protest against the one-sided policy of the president of Venezuela , Hugo Chavez , in light of his outrageous defamatory remarks against the state of Israel , and in reaction to the recalling of the Venezuela ambassador to Israel , '' the foreign ministry said at the time .

A January 21 cease-fire put an end to fighting between Hamas militants in Gaza and Israel , which had launched a three-week offensive , saying its goal was to stop missile strikes into southern Israel .

More than 1,200 Palestinians , many of them civilians , were killed . Israel lost about 10 soldiers and three civilians .

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Venezuelan ambassador to Israel and two others expelled

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Move in response to Venezuela breaking diplomatic relations over Gaza attack

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Venezuelan foreign minister says country is proud of the expulsion from Israel